Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-06-13
The Sergeant's Story.


ranch, where the travellers took supper,
and were glad 10 rest in a comfortable
bed.
At q ranch one night. "a we were sit
ting in the cheerful light of the Fireplace
the conversation turned upon the bravery
of the Indians. some OF the passengers
declaring that the savages possessed
degree OF courage closely bordering on
| heroiSm. while others contended that
anything like true courage was unknown
TO them. Each party gave incidents TO
the support of its views. and each person
had had something TO say upon the sub
ject. except our host, the ranchman, who
sat listening and smoking his pipe. At
length he said. Gentlemen, I both agree
and disagree with YOU l think l under
stand the Indian. and can speak with some.
degree of knowledge of his characters
tics and habits. After going through the
Civil War. l served two enlistments-ten
years-as private corporal, and sergeant
in the Seventh Cavalry, under General
| Custer.
I was with Custer when he struck
| IL
'6S: was with him in the Black Hills in
"A; on the Yellowstone in '73 and when
he died like the hero ne was in the battle
OF the Little Big Horn, 1 was with Reno
on the other part Of the field, besieged
by Sitting Bull, and as near TO death as I
ever expect to be, until the final bugle
call comes.
I can assure you, gentlemen, that the
Indian is brave, sometimes superbly So
| but he often seems TO be an arrant cow
| ard He will run away from superior,
or even equal numbers. for he considers
it poor generaIship to fight when the odds
are not in his favor
After doing you all the damage he can,
he will not hesitate TO run away. for the
| possession OF the field Of battle Is not
with him, as it is with Us. point of hon
or and proof OF victory.
Yet. if you once encounter him when
he is .cornered,' when ne i forced TO
fight superior numbers. when ne is trying
TO save fallen friend from being scalp
ed. or when he Is badly wounded. you
viii find in him degree Of courage any
thing but pleasant for his assailant.
The closest call I ever had in all my
| life, not even excepting that horrible day
with Reno, was on the expedition from
| Fort Hayes TO Fort Lyons in 1865, and
| l then had an experience with the Indians
that I shall never forget.
| Our command consisted of twenty men,
under Lieutenant Barlow, a young offic-
| CT who had been in service only little
| over two years, but who was known as
man of good judgment GOODNESS. and
/ bravery. We left Fort Hayes. and march
| ed several days without any incident worth
mentioning, until we were within days
march of the Arkansas river, and not
| very far from our destination
| Late in the afternoon we saw several
Indians in the distance on our right. and,
later, quite a large mounted party, In
dians also. on our left. 1t was evident
that the savages, perhaps in force, were
in our vicinity. and every man in the
command was on the alert. We had with
Us a train of fifteen pack-mules. and they,
with our horses. were enough Of prize
TO make an Indian attack more than prob
able
However. nothing more was seen Of the
Indians that day, and we went into camp
at sunset. hobbling and picketing our an
imals, and watching with anxiety for an
attack. We had reason TO be anxious
Our force was small, and we had, more
over. been compelled TO make a dry
camp that is there was no stream or
water Of any kind where we encamped
and the only water we had was that re
manning in our canteens.
You may be sure that a careful watch
was kept that night. Barlow knew his
business thoroughly, and putting his men
in a large buffalo wallow he had them
deepen il still more, and throw up a
slight breasCwOrk of earth around it. The |
fires had been carefully extinguished, and
the night was one OF the darkest that
have ever seen.
We did not expect an attack before /
morning. for the Indians have a strange. !
superstitious fear of the dark, but we |
knew very well that the first streaks Of |
dawning light would bring danger, for |
late dusk and early dawn are the favOrite |
hours for Indian attacks
All was quiet through the night About /
two O'Clock in the morning. l reliey- |
ed from guard by the other sergeant and |
after reporting to the lieutenant, lay |
down 10 catch a few winks of sleep. Ny 1
nap seemed very brief, and I was awaken
ed by one of the men, who shook me by /
the shoulder, saying. Sergeant, get up. /
Here's business ahead, or I'm a fool 1t /
was just early gray daylight, but we could /
see the Indians large band Of them
getting ready for a dash upon
Every man in the camp was soon in his
place, ready TO repulse the enemy while
Barlow, a. cool as if ne was on dress pa
rade. cautioned Us not 10 waste a shot,
nor fire until he gave the signal
The redskins did not keep US long in
suspense Down they dashed at full
speed. until nearly within rife range.
when they began circling around u, yell
ing ike fiends, while our animals began
to snort with fright, and TO tug violently
at the picket-ropes and hobbies.
Soon two young braves made dash
towards our stock, waving red blankets,
and yelling Ike demons 1ney kept their
bodies on the far side Of their ponies.
exposing only an arm and foot a. they
rode towards Us
There was in our command a little
Irishman BY the name Of Flanagan. who
was an excellent rife shot As these two
young braves rode towards us. the lieu
tenant said Flanagan. give that rascal
nearest us a shot
Up came Flanagan's rife, . shot rang
out, and down came the pony. This was
our first shot, and ii was worth q good
deal
The other Indian did not fancy such
sharp shooting. and ran back 70 his com
rades- who were still cIinging around a..
cracking their throats with their diaboli-
cal wells The dlsmounted warrior drag
n .N% s